Machine for placing track-torpedoes



' .s. MYERS. v MACHINE FOR PLACING TRACK TORPEDOES'.

No. 523,542. Patented July 24,1894.

- g I @mmlnunmmiw b UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

SAMUELMYERS, OF ORESTLINE, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR PLACING TRACK-TORPEDOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 523,542, dated July v24,, 1894 Application filed March 26,1894. serial No. 505,089- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I 4 Be it known that I, SAMUEL MYERsa citi zen of the United States, residing in the city of Crestline, in the county of Crawford, in the State of Ohio, have invented a newand useful Machine for Placing Track-Torpedoes, of which the following is a correct description. The invention relates to the class of devices which are operated upon the rear of a railwaycar, to apply upon a .railway-track, a signaltorpedo, which is adapted to be exploded by contact therewith of one of the wheels of a following car or train. I The invention consists in various novel elements, or combinations of elements in a machine, operated from the rear of a railway train, for placing and securing detonating torpedoes upon the tread of a track-rail in advance of a following train, as will appear fromthe following detailed description, and from the specific and distinct claims which succeed the same. 7 4

In the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification: Figure 1 represents a perspective plan view of a construction in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, showing the placer proper, in connection with a portion of the track-rail. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section,showing the tubular draw-bar, and

the inclosed placer-operating rod.

The base of the machine A, is composed,

' in the main, of the central horizontal trunk or body a and the two parallel depending sides a a which are adapted to receive-between them the tread b, of the rail 1.

Along each side of the base a, near the upper extremity thereof, and at a little distance outwardly therefrom, is provided a guide-way and supporting-rod a, which is suitably attached to such sides, by its inturned ends a, a and at its front it is provided with a loosely attached tubular tongue or draw-barf-which has longitudinal slots a and o -by which such base is adapted to be attached, for propulsion, to the rear extremity of a car.

Upon the base a, is mounted the slidable discharging-frame f, which is composed es-' sentially of a front cross-plate or bars f f which have bottom loops or ways f f, to loosely receive the guide-ways or supportingrods a of the base a; upturned ends f f lateral, rearwardly-projecting, inwardly-bent thrusting-arms f j', which at their front extremity are secured to the upturned ends f,

hinged or pivoted operating-rod orarm f which is received, by its main portion, within the body of the tubular draw-bar or tongue a, which has end-cranks f f which move along the slots a a of the tongue or drawbar a, and by means of which the frame 1s manipulated,in discharging the torpedo and placing: it upon the track-rail. Upon the frontportion of the discharging-frame, are

provided upright spring-arms fv, preferably three or'more in number, and arranged concentrically, to receive and secure, as In" a socket, the body of asuitablelamp,wh1ch w1ll serve to sufficiently illuminate the track.

' The torpedoes g, which for the purposes of this invention may be of an ordinary construction, are maintained in a transverselycentral position upon the base a,by means of the laterally-extending arms g g the down- Wardly and inwardly extending extremities g of which, somewhat loosely engage the guideway and supporting-rod a; and are held against displacement, longitudinally, by the frictional contact of the rear extremity or free end f of the spring-arm f.

In the drawings, but a single torpedo is represented as applied upon the base,the arms of the torpedo engaging the guide-way and supporting-rod, and the extremity of the lonl gitudinal spring-arm resting upon the body of the torpedo; but it will be apparent that, 1f desired, two or more torpedoes may be simultaneously applied, to be successively discharged, as occasion may require.

In the operation of the apparatus, the machine having been first attached by its tongue.

or draw-bar, to the car, and then lowered into position upon the track,--which may readlly be done from the platform of the car, even when itis moving at ahigh rate of speed,the

actuating-arm or push-rod f, is forced rearwardly, until the notched extremities j, of the thrusting-arms f, come into contact with the lateral arms g 9 of the torpedo 9, whereupon, the movement being continued, the lateral arms 9 will slip from .the rear extremity of the guiding and supporting rods a and descending, will engage the body of the tread of the track-rail,centrally upon which the body of the torpedo will rest. The described movement being repeated until all the torpedoes have been discharged, the machine may be lifted upon the car, for an additional supply.

The invention having been thus fully descrlbed, what is claimed is- 1. In a machine for placing track-torpedoes, the combination with the supporting-base, havmg plain central horizontal portion, parallel depending sidewalls, which are adapted to embrace the tread of a track-rail, and longitudinal outstanding guide-rods; of the described discharging-frame, movable loosely upon, and engaging the guide-ways or rods,

provided with the central spring-arm for on gaging the torpedo by downward pressure, and provided also with the lateral, longitudinally-extending thrusting-arms, for moving the torpedo beyond its point of engagement with the ways or rods; substantially as described.

2. In a machine for placing torpedoes upon a railway-track, a base which has a flat central portion or body, vertical side-walls for embracing the tread of a track-rail, and guiding andsupporting rods which extend along the side-walls, from end to end thereof; combined with a discharging-frame which embraces a transverse portion which engages and has movement along the guiding and supporting rods, a central longitudinal springarm, for frictionally engaging the body of the torpedo, side arms for thrusting the torpedo along and beyond the guiding and supporting rods, and an operating-handle for moving the discharging-frame along the base; substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine for placing track-torpedoes,'

a base which bestrides the tread of the trackrail, which has longitudinal guide-Ways or 

